


Threshold

by mswyrr



Category: Bodyguard (TV 2018)
Genre: Dom/sub Undertones, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Femdom, Talking About Consent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2019-07-23 23:41:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16169174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mswyrr/pseuds/mswyrr
Summary: Missing scene between the end of 1x02 and start of 1x03. How did they get so comfortable with each other?





	Threshold

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to laurelsalexis for beta reading!

David got to spend Saturday at the safe house. Having breakfast with the kids and then taking them on an exceptionally well guarded walk to the park. Just him and the kids and a protection officer shadowing them the whole way. It was strange, being on the protectee’s side of the professional blankness he cultivated. After a late lunch with the kids and Vick, he had just enough time to pack some fresh clothes and drive back to the hotel as night fell.

The first thing he noticed when he got inside his room was that Julia’s door was open. Not all the way, just enough to let light in from her side. David only had one lamp on and the sliver of light from Julia’s side was shockingly bright in the dim room. He set his suitcase down and arranged his clothes for the week, very conscious of it but unsure. Did she want him to come in?

After he unpacked, he couldn’t resist the pull anymore. He approached the door, tracing his fingers over the faux wood grain. The thought of just waltzing in didn’t sit right. Not at all.

He pushed the door open half a foot wider, to return the invitation, and then went to review Julia’s schedule for the upcoming week. It was easy to get lost in the minutia of alternate routes and safety risks.

Then the room brightened. The beam of light from Julia’s side of the door spread across the floor in front of him in a wedge, with only the shape of Julia’s shadow interrupting the symmetry. David turned to look.

She was leaning against the door frame, her arms loosely crossed, regarding him. Her expression was different, warm but still keen, the way he’d only seen it a few times. Did many other people get to see her like that? “I’d begun to think you were born wearing a suit,” she said, amusement clear in her tone.

David glanced down at himself: green check button-down and chinos. No tie or jacket. Not sloppy, but it did make a change from his work clothes. He could see from her face that she wanted to play, to enjoy the moment with him.

David found that he wanted that too. “This is nothing,” he said. “I’ve got a hooded jumper at home with,” he gestured at his chest, “bits of paint on.” From redoing the kids’ room about a year back. When he and Vicky were still trying to make it work.

“Scandalous,” Julia said, her smile soft but real. They weren’t setting the world on fire with their witty repartee, but she liked it. That they could play like this.

She was always the one who started things. Tried to connect. Not just for shagging, but conversation. A hug. A glance that was just between the two of them. Who knew why? If she was the calculating creature Sampson and Craddock said she was, doing favors just to insure he kept her secrets, then an affair didn’t make sense. It could easily blow up in her face. And it wasn’t like she lacked for other options.

He wasn’t sure if it was stupid pride or not, that he was so convinced she genuinely liked his company.  He’d doubt it when he was away from her. Start to think about how foolish it was. But then he’d be with her again, confronted with the reality of her interest, and it was hard to see how she could be playing an angle. There was nothing else in this for her but risk.

His situation wasn’t that different. A lot of risk and all just for the pleasure of her company.

“May I?” she asked, miming a soft knock at the door frame.

David closed his laptop, set it on the bedside table. “Sure.” He observed her as she wandered in, barefoot and wearing a comfortable loose grey knit top and blue slacks. It didn’t take long for her to exhaust his room’s modest points of interest; there wasn’t much to see. Bland hotel room art, his half-open suitcase.

She came to a stop in the beam of light and stood there, looking like she owned the place in that effortless way she had. “Do you miss being at home?” she asked, her head tilted, the soft curls of her hair like a halo.

Her expression was serious, as if his feelings were important to her. It slid right in under his defenses. “I haven’t been home since the separation,” he said, honestly. His apartment wasn’t a home. Apart from a few drawings he got from Ella and Charlie, it was as sterile and lifeless as this hotel room.

Julia rubbed a hand against her throat, betraying hidden nerves. “But you must miss your children, staying here. Perhaps Kim could take a few shifts, or—” she shrugged, “we could find another option.” She smoothed her hair with her nervous hand.

That brought him up short. Kim could _what_? He was her PPO, not PC Kim bloody Knowles. “Are you trying to get rid of me?” he asked, sharper than he’d intended. But he didn’t regret it. What she was suggesting would be a blow professionally, to be demoted by the principal. Replaced with a constable. If she wanted to break off their barely started affair, she could have the decency to do it discreetly.

She frowned. “I’ve stepped in it again, haven’t I?” She blew out a short, frustrated breath. “It just occurred to me that this room is rather small and you’re –“ her eyes cut away, “ _required_ to be here.” She pointed at the door. “Even that – I thought you kept it open because you wanted me to –” she trailed off, swallowing hard, “but it’s just some bloody security requirement, isn’t it?” She looked shaken at the thought. “In case I need you.”

She was worried about taking advantage. David went from boiling at the thought of having his career damaged by her wanting to toss him to feeling the now familiar warm shock of her kindness. He looked over at the door and then back at her. “It’s both,” he assured her.

He was perfectly capable of bending the rules to lock it if he didn’t want her coming in.

“Oh,” she let out a long sigh. “Thank god. You know we can stop whenever you like, I hope? I don’t make a habit of—” Her hand fluttered aimlessly. She was still so anxious over the whole thing. It was sweet.

David laughed. “I know.”

Julia’s eyes narrowed. “How would you know?” she asked, her tone sharpening.

"Sorry,” he said, smoothing out his expression. He hadn’t meant to put her back up. “But if you made a habit of…” he mimicked her gesture, “there’d be rumors.” Word got around in the RaSP. People looked out for each other. It was important, when you were dealing with powerful protectees who might get ideas about abusing that.

A look of recognition came over her face. “A whisper network,” she said to herself. “Of course.”

David shook his head, leaned forward. “What brought this on?” She was usually the one who asked prying questions, between the two of them, but he found that he wanted to know.

She made her way to the chair across from him, her usual easy confidence returning. "I had a nice lie in this morning," she said, "and a long, hot bath. Then I caught up on World News. Did you know there's another sordid matter in the states, some old man imposing himself on an underling?"

"I stopped paying attention a while back," David admitted. “Not much I can do about it, is there?” he added, feeling guilty. Besides respecting women and raising Charlie to be a good man it was all out of his hands. And life was depressing enough already.

"Understandable," she said. "Well, at first, I had my usual feelings of feminist outrage," her lips quirked, "the thrill of self-righteousness and all that. And then," she smoothed her slacks, her expression darkening. "I noticed a certain... _similarity_ , between myself and the grubby little beast in question."

Every time he saw her kindness he felt the urge to pull it close, shelter it. And genuine confusion over how she could have a heart like that and reconcile it with her politics. Had she just never seen the human toll close enough to realize...? He pushed those thoughts aside; he wanted to enjoy her company, not re-litigate her voting record.

"You're not a grubby little beast," he said calmly, trying to suppress his amusement. "You're--" he gave up, smiled at her, "cute."

Julia looked offended and then bemused. "At least my scruples are good for a laugh," she huffed.

"Sorry," he said. "You've had a stressful weekend." He let his eyes linger over her slowly.

She caught on. "Weekend's not over yet. It could improve," she said, returning his heated gaze with her own.

"Would you like any help with that, ma'am?" he joked.

Julia laughed. "What a nice young man you are!" A coy look came into her eyes. “I did have something in mind,” she said. “If you’re feeling a little adventurous.”

A thrill went down David’s spine and he felt his breath catch at the possibilities. There was so much they hadn’t tried yet. And, whatever it was, she was wary of confessing it, which just made it even more enticing. “I am,” he said, “feeling very adventurous.”

“Good.” She gestured with a curl of her fingers. “Then stand up.”

“All right.” He stood, arms loose at his sides. What was she up to?

Julia flicked on the lamp beside her chair. It brightened the room with warm light, but not too much. With the shades drawn, it still felt shrouded and intimate.

She looked him up and down. “It’s occurred to me that, for all we’ve been doing, I haven’t got a proper look at you yet.” She leaned back, crossing her leg, hands casually resting on the arms of her chair, her expression like a satisfied queen observing from her throne. “I’d like you to remedy that.”

David blinked at her. “What?”

Julia smiled. “Strip,” she said.

The word hit him with a dizzying jolt, like someone had turned the world upside down and shaken it. He felt heat flash across his skin and settle, low and tight, at his groin. He’d never done anything like this.

The hungry look on Julia’s face created a feedback loop of desire and uncertainty. He slowly undid the buttons at his cuffs, felt himself wavering, and then glanced at her and the rush of heat came again, pulling him deeper. As he worked his way down the shirt’s front buttons he didn’t look away, just kept his eyes on hers. It felt like he was doing her will, not his own. His breath was rough by the time he slipped the shirt off, set it on the bed.

It felt like he could come just from her looking at him that way.

David reached down, unbuckling his belt.

“No,” she said, with quiet authority. “Undershirt first.”

David’s hands froze, his rib cage tightening. His whole left side was a mess of scar tissue. He’d got in the habit of keeping his undershirt on with Vicky and the times he’d been with Julia he’d done the same. She didn’t know yet. She hadn’t seen. The pleasure of sinking deeper and deeper into the heady warmth of her gaze fought with a cold, metallic fear inside him. He didn’t want to see her expression curdle into pity or disgust. He felt his pulse race and his breath come sharp. He felt like someone was tearing him in two.

“David,” Julia’s soft voice pulled him out of the daze he’d sunk into. “Are you all right?” She looked concerned. “Do you want to stop?”

He opened his mouth, then closed it. Explaining was a kind of nakedness too. He couldn’t endure it so he just shook his head, looked down at the carpet, away from her concern. Her heat. He was damaged, under the surface. Something used up and broken. That was the truth of it. He couldn’t be a good husband to Vicky anymore and he couldn’t even have a bit of fun with someone without ruining it. He wrapped his arms around his waist and waited for her to give up. To leave.

“David,” she said. “Look at me.”

He shook his head, his arms tightening. Just leave. Just give up. Part of him wished he could strip down shamelessly, make her look at what she and all the idiots had done, sending people off to fight like it was nothing. But he didn’t want to hurt her; he just wanted to have a nice time with her. And he couldn’t even have that.

“Please,” she said, a tremor in her voice, “look at me.”

That tugged on his heart and his eyes rose to meet hers.

“Are you okay?” she was leaned forward, her expression pained, hands gripping the arms of the chair. It looked as if she wanted to come out of it but was holding herself back.

He shook his head.

“Do you want me to leave?”

Another shake of his head. He didn’t know. Why was she asking him?

“Come here,” she said, extending a hand, "please.”

He found himself moving across the room to stand in front of her. She stood up and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tight. “It’s all right.” She pressed a kiss to his shoulder. “Whatever it is, it’s all right.”

The tightness in David’s chest eased and he hugged her back, breathing in the soft floral scent of her hair. It felt so good to be touched in tenderness. Sometimes he wondered if that was the crux of it. Were they both just absolutely starved for affection? “Sorry,” he said. “Sorry.”

This was supposed to be fun. He’d offered her a relaxing conclusion to her weekend. He’d promised to be adventurous. And then he’d fucked it all up.

“I’m sorry,” he said again.

Julia’s hands tightened against his back. “You have nothing to apologize for, I –” she struggled for a moment, “pushed too hard, clearly. _I’m_ sorry.”

He held her for a long minute, not wanting to let go. Her hair was silky soft against his nose and her hands were moving over his shoulders in slow, comforting circles. Again, that astonishing sweetness of hers. He’d ruined everything and here she was, petting him until he stopped acting like a nutter.

Was it wrong to want to keep the Home Secretary locked up in his room, for her own safety and for cuddles? Nobody could hurt them here. And he knew now, with a certainty that he hadn’t had before, that neither of them wanted to hurt the other.

“Can you tell me what’s wrong?” she asked after a while.

David had calmed enough to want to just get it over with, either way. He stepped back from her embrace, took in her look of concern and care, and then turned around, pulled up his undershirt.

She gasped and David felt himself flinch, his shoulders tightening, but he didn’t cover up. He was tired of hiding. She could either handle it or she couldn’t. It was better to know, wasn’t it?

He expected to be peppered with questions. To be subjected to the uninformed opinions and feelings other people seemed to think it was so important to share after they found out something terrible had happened to you.

To his shock, her arms came around his waist, pulling him back against her tight. He felt her lips at the nape of his neck, tracing a slow line of soft kisses down to his back. David shivered, leaning into the contact, his eyes sliding closed. Her tender ministrations continued until he felt like she had poured comfort into him, around all the sharp, ragged places.

Her lips came up, gave his earlobe a kiss. “I want you to trust me, okay?” she whispered, her breath hot against his neck.

David nodded. He felt so warm and safe he’d agree to anything right now.

She stepped back, and her hands came to tug at his undershirt. He helped her, pulling it the rest of the way off. When that was done, she put her hands on his shoulders and turned him to face her.

“This all right?” she asked, her hands at his waist.

He nodded.

“Good,” she said. And then she touched him. Everywhere, it felt like. Her hands tracing over his sides and stomach, up over his chest. She gave his upper arms an appreciative squeeze and waggled her eyebrows at him. David chuckled, surprised at himself. When she’d completed her hand tour of his body, she pulled him in close against her, the softness of her breasts against his chest finally making him realize she didn’t have a bra on.

His arousal started to come back around, his lower belly heating at the pleasure of her body against his.

She kissed his collarbone and nuzzled his neck. “You’re beautiful,” she said, with such naked sincerity he felt a little embarrassed on her behalf.

David felt a blush spread across his face, heating his cheeks and the tips of his ears. “Don’t think you’re supposed to say that to a bloke,” he said, not unkindly. It was fine. She was being wonderful, really. She didn’t have to take it so far.

She took a step back. “You don’t like it?”

“I don’t know,” he said. It was a lot. “It’s… different.”

She looked hurt. “It’s just us here, David,” she said, sounding annoyed. “Do we really have to abide by some arbitrary rules about who gets to –” her voice had got weaker as she went on, losing confidence, until finally she just gave up, looking away. Embarrassed on her own behalf now.

He felt like an utter shite. She’d been so kind and he’d gone and made her feel bad about it. Because of some ‘arbitrary rules’ as she called it.

“It’s not bad,” he said, reaching for her hand, trying to catch her eye. “Just different. And you—” he struggled to find the words, “you’ve been so… good to me. I –” His mouth worked as he struggled, unable to even figure out everything he was feeling, let alone express it. Finally, he gave up and pulled her back into an embrace. She was stiff at first, still hurt, and then she melted against him.

“You’re amazing,” he said, since she’d stolen the beauty line. And the scales needed some evening out, in terms of naked confessions of admiration.

She sighed against him. “You ever think we might both just really need a hug?” she mused, her tone wry.

David laughed. She had a point. They were awfully cuddlesome, for two adults doing something on the sly. “Maybe,” he said. “But I do like the shagging too.”

Julia laughed and stroked her hand down to cup him through his trousers. He was already hard and the contact narrowed his focus down to getting her clothes off, getting closer. “On the subject of shagging,” she said, her voice roughened with desire, “we are in agreement.” She took his arm, tugging him toward the bed and he followed.

“If you’d be so kind,” she said, pulling her grey knit top off over her head, “as to sit down and get your cock out,” she continued, shimmying out of her slacks, “I have an idea we might both enjoy.” Once she finished she was standing there, naked and proud, from the soft curve of her small tits with their pretty brownish pink nipples down to the neat triangle of dark hair at her cunt.

She really was beautiful.

David followed her directions and then she was on him, pushing his trousers aside and sinking down, so hot and tight he had to close his eyes and just breath to keep control. She snuggled close and began to rock against him, gripping his shoulders in a tight embrace for leverage. He traced his hands down the silky smooth line of her back to her hips where he tightened his hold, supporting her movements.

“See?” she gave a low, sexy laugh. “Best of both worlds.”

It took a minute for David to get the joke and then he laughed too. They were hugging and shagging at the same time, all the comfort of one and the pleasure of the other combined. “Clever,” he gasped, moving with her as he felt her bring her own hand down to rub herself off.

“I am rather,” she murmured, sounding very pleased with herself as she continued to ride him, proud and agile. After a while, her breath came harder and her arm tightened against his shoulder as she clenched around him.

He followed her orgasm, moving at a faster pace, thrusting up into her, hands gripped tight against her hips, until he was lost in her body, her heat. They kept hugging as their bodies cooled, their breath evening out. He felt Julia shiver and reached for a blanket.

She stopped him. “Want to come back to mine?” she asked, her lips quirked.

“Aye,” he said, getting a clever idea of his own. When she started to move off him he gripped his arms tighter and stood, lifting both of them. She tightened her legs around his waist.

“Oh!” she laughed. “My big, strong man,” she sighed, her voice all mock swooning as she leaned her head against his shoulder.

David slipped his hand down to squeeze her arse. “Big, strong, _beautiful_ man,” he corrected.

Julia gave his arm a gentle smack. “Any chance of you letting me forget that?”

“None,” David said, setting her down beside her own bed. “I’m going to cherish your words as long as I live.” He tried to play it off as a joke, all part of their banter, but he felt it. It had been a lot, for her to say that to him. And it _was_ different, but now that it had had time to settle… it meant a lot too. He could see in her eyes that she understood. But she was kinder than he’d been and let the confession go by without embarrassing him over it.

“Feeling peckish?” she asked, reaching for the white menu beside her phone. “I could go for some room service.”

David agreed and they crawled under the covers together to discuss the menu as if it was very serious business, David’s arm around Julia’s waist, his lips finding sensitive spots to kiss. They ordered a bunch of things and messed around, trying different desserts. At one point, they fed each other strawberries and kissed the sweet juice from each other’s lips.

He’d never had a dirty weekend before, not by its proper definition. Time spent away from the kids with Vicky, yes. But an affair? No. It was remarkably tender. They laughed and shagged on every available surface. They cuddled and napped. They shared a bath. By the time Monday morning rolled around, he wanted nothing more than to stay under the shelter of her white sheets forever, cuddled together.


End file.
